The Fifty Tools

(Taken word for word from http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools)//


Below you will find 50 web tools you can use to create a story. Again, your mission here is not to review every single one, but pick one that sounds interesting and see if you can produce something. I have used each tool to produce an example of Dominoe story and links provided where available to examples by other people. Please share your products or thoughts in the discussion area of this wiki.

But before rummaging around the toolbox, have you done your prep work? Do you have your story idea or presentation concept outlined, developed? This should be on paper or in a document file or scribbled on the back of a napkin, but do not rely on making it up as you go! If not, go back 2 spaces and do this now. Next- do you have your media assets available, your images, video clips, audio files-- if not go find your media now.




Slideshow Tools

Generates content that allows linear playback of a series of images, some with ability to add audio. But these are primarily organized around photos or graphics.

1. Bubbleshare http://www.bubbleshare.com/

Create from uploaded images, clip art library, records 30 second audio/video captions for each image. Overlay comic bubbles with text. Code to embed in blogs, web site. Options to have prints made as books, posters, etc. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

2. Fabrik (beta) http://filmloop.myfabrik.com/

Upload images or search/upload flickr for images by tag. Slideshows with transitions. No text/captions. Share via email, embed code. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

3. ImageLoop http://www.imageloop.com/

Upload images from computer or flickr or upload PowerPoint files. Select from animated templates. Publish to blog or MySpace. RSS, comments. username=cogdogroo

4. One True Media http://www.onetruemedia.com/

"With One True Media, effortlessly combine photos and video clips with words and music to personalize your story. Quickly share with our Online Slideshow or get as creative as you want with our Video Montage." Upload images and audio for story track. Embed in blogs or directly post to YouTube/Google video, mySpace, Google Groups. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

5. RockYou http://www.rockyou.com/

"RockYou! creates and distributes the most popular self-expression widgets on the web" where widgets are slideshows, image effects, and more. Publishes to MySpace, Facebook, blogs. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

6. Slide http://www.slide.com/

"Slide lets you use photos and other digital content to publish and discover the people and things that matter to you." Import from many sources, has a good library of templates, backgrounds, effects. Can add music but not your own audio track. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

7. SlideFlickr http://slideflickr.com/

"SlideFlickr will help you create and embed Flickr slideshows in less than 10 seconds" for putting slicjr slideshows in your own site. Generate from flickr users, sets, groups, tags. Embed in blogs, web sites, facebook. No username needed; can use flickr account=cogdogroo

8. Slideroll http://www.slideroll.com/

Create slideshows via a movie timeline- add transitions, Ken Burns like effects, titles, captions, music. Direct import photos from flickr. username=cogdogroo ; add an extra "a" to the end of the password

Timeline Tools

The main organizing metaphor for these tools is by time/date that can explored in any order. Events are placed on a timeline, and might include text, hyperlinks, images, etc.

9. Dandelife http://dandelife.com

Generate a timeline of any kind of event in your life, write as blog-like entry, apply tags, attach images, videos, bookmarks form other web service sites. Not the easiest tool to use! username=cogdogroo

10. OurStory http://www.ourstory.com/

Write a 'story' which is what happened on a date in time, add pictures, video, and OurSotry creates a timeline. Imports flickr photos. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

11. xtimeline http://xtimeline.com/

Powerful and well designed timeline. Attach images or embed media to any entry, provide source info (for historical timelines?), tags. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

Mixer Tools

These may overlap with the Slideshow tools, but generally these ones offer a larger variety of media types that can be "mixed" and end products that are not necessarily linear.

12. Voice Threads http://voicethread.com

Weave uploaded or flickr imported images into a media presentation. Record audio/add text annotations. Others can add voice and comments as well. See also VoiceThreads in the Classroom. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

13. VUVOX http://www.vuvox.com/

"turn your photos, video and music into professional quality presentations that can be easily shared with friends and family. " search images in flickr, google, upluad youtube video, embed code (see MasterNewmedia review). username=cogdogroo

14. FLEKTOR http://www.flektor.com/

"allows you to quickly and easily create, remix, and share your photos, videos, with others via email, on mySpace, or in your blog." Upload images and audio to create Photobooks or use advanced editing tools to create a video (see MasterNewMedia review). username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

15. Mixercast http://www.mixercast.com/

"Create professional multimedia experiences by mixing your images, video, and sound easily with our unique templates and share across the web in one click." Powerful editing, import photos, audio, video form sites or direct upload- many templates and editing options including text overlays with hyperlinks. Can also record video from web cam. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

16. Zude http://en.gnomz.com/

Zude is more of a personal web portal, a place you can add media, web sites, text, and customize the layout. Media can be added simply by dropping them in from another web browser window. The feature site is quite brioad, and at the same time, rather complex to use. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

Comic Tools

Create your own comic strips or cartoons using imported media or available images. You might need ability to sketch, and these are generally shorter pieces, and were much more of a challenge to fit a story into.

17. gnomz http://en.gnomz.com/

This is a fairly low level tool that will not create any visual masterpieces, but there is an interesting challenge in trying to compose with a limited tool set. It creates those pixel flat icon like figures. You create a cartoon avatar, and you pull from a library of others, and enter their speech or thought bubbles, as well as select backgrounds. The site is a bit challenging to figure out since it is in French, but clck the flag in the top right to toggle the site to English. username=cogdogroo
  • Dominoe (as best as I could with limited art!)
  • Note most of the content on this site is juvenile or inappropriate. Link at your own risk.

18. ComicsSketch http://www.mainada.net/comics/

A tool for people who can actually draw! Create all content via pen and color tools. username=cogdogroo

19. Toondoo http://www.toondo.com

Create your own 1, 2, or 3 panel cartoons using a library of cartoons, text bubbles. Images can be uploaded and manipulated with simple tools. Created "doos" can be combined into "ToonBooks", embedded in blogs, etc. username=cogdogroo

20. Kerpoof http://www.kerpoof.com/

A fun to use cartoon tools with stock shapes and character bubbles. No import of media, no audio, no ability to create links or embed code.
  • Dominoe (screent shots loaded into a flickr set, only way to get content out!)


Scrapbook Tools

Less a story from point A to B, scrapbook tools provide ways to artistically organize media around a theme, which then again, can easily be a story. Often these can handle more varieties of media, but also become more complex of an interface.

21. Tabblo http://www.tabblo.com/

an application to put together photos and words with styled templates into a visual collage, also creates slideshows, permissions for views, import form flickr, print services (posters etc) username=cogdogroo

22. Scrapblog http://www.scrapblog.com/

Create multipage collections of photos (import from 5 photo sites), decoration "stickies", videos from Youtube, and publish to several blog sites. Does not provide embedded version, only publishes links username=cogdogroo

Map Tools

These tools are useful for stories or presentations that are tied to locations over a distance, such as a travel trip or a historical accounting. See also http://www.storymapping.org/ and Find a Story... Map a Story... Tell a Story...

23. Mapwing http://www.mapwing.com/

A tool really designed for created linked tours or annotated drawings/maps- generate a base bap my importing or drawing, add nodes, each with a view looking in 4 directions, captions, link together. username=cogdogroo

24. Google My Maps http://maps.google.com/ http://www.googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/

Associate the steps of your stories with locations on a map. Editing each one allows insertion of images (e.g. using links from flickr), and other rich text features. Now they provide cut and paste code (via the "Link to this Page") so you can embed the maps in any web page username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

25. Wayfaring http://www.wayfaring.com/

Annotate a map with three kinds of tools- a waypoint (one that can be used in multiple maps), a note, or a path/route. The flow of the story is less apparent, unless one does it with a combination of routes to show a path. username=cogdogroo

Flickr Tools / Ideas

Not strictly a tool per se, but there are many different ways to use flickr itself as a platform for creating/sharing stories in interesting ways. For acounrts, use flickr username cogdogroo

26. Flickr Tell a Story in 5 Frames http://flickr.com/groups/visualstory/

"Tell a Story in 5 Frames has two important parts. The first part is creating and telling a story through visual means with only a title to help guide the interpretation. The second part is the response of the group to the visual story."

27. Flickr Six Word Story http://www.flickr.com/groups/sixwordstory/

is "a photo with a Six Word Story in the title section of a Flickr photo. Be as inventive as possible. Have those few words tell the whole tale, and let the picture be its visual interpretation." Examples

28. Flicktion http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/flicktion/

Flickr+Fiction = Fliction. Take any single image and write a short story built around that image. Save in flickr with the tag "flicktion".

29. Linking Flickr Notes http://flickr.com/photos/cogdog/269039506/

Using any set of flickr photos, you can link them together via hypertext links embedded into flickr notes - the popups that appear when rolling over an image. You could weave a story together linked linearly or branching, by using these "hotspots" on images
  • Dominoe (look for "next" links in upper right)

Audio Tools

There are numerous audio storage / podcast generation tools, but the ones here were selected because they offer ties to other media forms, but are built primarily around the main content as sound.

30. Podcast People http://podcastpeople.com/

This is more of a tool to create podcasts including audio, video content as well as traditional "blog" posts. It could be used to serialize a story into small segments. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

31. Blabberize http://www.blabberize.com/

Rather simple and crude, but can be effective! Upload a picture of a frontal view of a face, mark the keypoints of the mouth, and record the audio. It creates a simple animation of the mount moving to the sound of the voice. username=cogdogroo

Video Tools

The video tools allow upload, editing, and remixing of video to create new content, playable through a web page.

32. Jumpcut http://www.jumpcut.com/

A powerful video editor, almost like iMovie in a web page. Import images form flickr/facebook, upload video/audio, apply transitions, titles, effects. Use Yahoo account cogdogroo

33. Splashcast http://web.splashcast.net/

"The SplashCast service enables anyone to create streaming media ‘channels’ that mix together video, music, photos, narration, text, as well as RSS feeds, PowerPoint presentations and PDF documents." rather versatllve in the places where it can fetch media (uploads or from other sites such as flickr, YouTube). Easy, well prompted interface. username=cogdogroo

34. eyespot http://eyespot.com/

Offers a timeline editor to mix (and remix) media including images, videos, and audio. Includes titling, speecial effect, transitions, but audio is background, cannot by synced to images. username=cogdogroo

35. TouFee http://www.toufee.com/

Upload images or import form flickr, as well as video (upload or import from YouTube), put on a timeline, add text, set transitions, generate a movie. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com


36. BubblePLY http://www.bubbleply.com/

Load a video form any URL (e.g. YouTube, Blip.tv) and then annotate with text "bubbles" username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

37. Motionbox http://www.motionbox.com/

Tool for uploading, sharing videos with features to create playlists and remixes of your own videos. username=cogdogroo

38. Animoto http://animoto.com/

This tool analyzes an uploaded set of images and creates a "professional" music video based on a secret artificial intelligence logic. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

Presentation Tools

Built around a familiar desktop tools for creating slide decks, these tools offer similar features, and more, in a web interface.

39. Empressr http://www.empressr.com/

Interface allows import of images, video, text overlays, etc. username=cogdogroo

40. Spresent http://www.spresent.com/

Offers a PowerPoint like editor all in a web site. Import images (desktop, flickr), upload a PPT, movies from YouTube, audio via URL, use templates, etc. Audio can be synced to slides. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

41. Thumbstacks http://www.thumbstacks.com/

Create simple, PowerPoint-like presentations with simple templates, imports photos from flickr. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

42. Slideshare / Slidecasts http://www.slideshare.net

Upload Powerpoint content and slideshare turns it into Flash. Provide a URL for an audio track, and you can sync it to create an audio narrated "slidecast" username=cogdogroo

43. Zentation http://zentation.com/

Might be called a mashup- it allows upload of Powerpoint files to Slideshare and synchronization to video uploaded to Google video. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

44. Viewbook http://www.viewbook.com/

"an online service to create and share albums, portfolios and presentations on your viewbook domain". Upload up to 500 images, create albums of images with text captions, share via a link or copy/paste embed code. No audio. username=cogdogroo

45. Zoho Show http://show.zoho.com/

Part of the Zoho suite of online productivity tools, Zoho Show provides a clean PowerPoint like interface for creating slide shows. Or you can directly import a PPT file (< 10 Mb) and publish without any extra work. username=cogdogroo

46. Vcasmo http://www.vcasmo.com/

Synchronize a series of image slides to a video soundtrack. Import video from YouTube or upload. Includes tools to enable other language captioning and Creative Commons licenses. username=cogdogroo

47. MyPlick http://myplick.com/

Upload a presentation file (PPT or PDF) and an audio file, use the synch tools, and create an audio narrated slideshow / presentation. username=cogdogroo

48. Google Presenter http://docs.google.com

It was only a matter of time. The Google Tool provides import of PPT files, and a clean editing interface. Presentations can be live shared with invited others or published. username=cogdogroo @ gmail.com

49. WebSlides http://slides.diigo.com/

Something really different. Turn a list of web sites (bookmarked) into a nicely pesented web slide show. Notes can be added, content can be tagged, and it has an audio track. Sign in at http://www.diigo.com/community with username=cogdogroo


If you have specific feedback, questions, or just some kibbles to share, please post your thoughts to the [[message/list/StoryTools|discussion area for this wiki page]].//


New Tools

Below are a few tools that came to my attention after developing the workshop, but may certainly be as viable as the 49 above.

Sketchcast http://sketchcast.com/

Record a series of drawings with or without audio, and play back as video in your web site or blog

Bubblr http://www.pimpampum.net/bubblr/

Add comic like bubbles to photos obtained from flickr


flickrslidr http://flickrslidr.com/

Embed a slideshow created in flickr into any other web site

StoryMaker http://story-box.co.uk/sm.php

Part of the StoryBox site, "Using audio, pictures and text you can create storyboards, slideshows and much much more."

Pictures with Stories Flickr Group http://www.flickr.com/groups/stories/

"Your photograph must be accompanied by a story. The story must be at least five sentences long and MUST be true - no poems or fiction please. Tell us something about your photograph, why you took it, the story behind the photograph."



Cutting Room Floor

Here are tools I tried, but had little success with. Maybe someone else has a different experience, but these did not cut it! That does not mean they are automatically not worthy, as tools constantly evolve and there is always the possibility of "user error" on my part.

Snapjot http://www.snapjot.com/

"Digital Scrapbooking for Groups" - buggy, crashed, could not create any material

YouTube Remixer http://www.youtube.com/ytremixer_about

A beta tool to create remixed versions of YouTube videos uploaded to your account. Failed to publish four times, did not recognize uploaded clips. This tool is not ready for prime time.

My Maps+ http://www.mymapsplus.com/

Provides tool to embed a map created in Google's My Maps into any other web site, Google's roola noq provide tis functionality

Smilebox http://www.smilebox.com

No mac version- does not meet criteria to work on all computers.

Piczo http://www.piczo.com/

Assemble a "site" where you can add a variety of media types, and also has features of a social networking service. Tool behave inconsistently when I tried it.